Digital and mechanical scales operate in environments such as commercial kitchens where they are exposed to greases, liquids and food products. These materials soil and coat not only the tops and fronts/keypads of the scale, but also the sides and bottoms. When not cleaned, the soiled scales may harbor bacteria. The soiled scales are also more difficult to handle.
Mechanical scales that have no electronic parts that can be damaged by moisture and water may be ‘dish-washer safe’ or ‘wash-down safe’ when made from non-rusting materials such as stainless steel. Such scales may be cleaned by steam, hot-water, detergents and water pressure; however, digital scales have electronic components that may be damaged by moisture. Attempts to render these scales “dishwasher safe” rely on gaskets, seals and other devices around the electrical components and all openings in the scale body. These additional components raise the cost of the scale and these devices typically cannot protect the scale from the environment of a commercial dishwasher. Attempts have been made to cover the tops, fronts and sides of digital scales with clear plastic ‘shields’; however, these shields are not durable, and do not last the life of the scale. The known shields are also difficult to clean.
While some scales may be washable, these scales cannot be used in dishwashers because of the high water temperature and water pressure associated with dishwashers. Simply washing down a scale may leave a residue film of grease and bacteria. The difficulty in cleaning electronic scales is one of several reasons why commercial chefs prefer mechanical scales over digital scales.